Dec. 11
IRAN:
Iranian scientist from Belgium to be hanged in Iran for "spying"
An Iranian-Swedish professor connected to the Free University of Brussels (VUB)
has been sentenced to death in Iran for collaboration with scientists from
foreign, "enemy" states and his lawyer has not appealed to the Iranian Supreme
Court.
The execution of Ahmadreza Djalali seems inevitable according to VUB in
Brussels, where Djalali was a guest professor in the field of disaster
medicine.
Iranian authorities detained Ahmadreza Jalali, a scientist at the Research
Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine (CRIMEDIN) run by the University of
Eastern Piedmont in Novara, Italy, and the Free University Brussels (VUB),
during a visit in April.
Djalali, 45, is married with 2 children and works at Karolinska Institutet in
Sweden on improving hospitals' emergency responses to armed terrorism and
radiological, chemical and biological threats.
The verdict follows warnings by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and
Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
(IRGC), the regime's heavily militarised ideological gatekeepers, of
"infiltration" attempts by Iran's enemies.
It also comes with conservative opponents in Iran of a possible thaw with the
West seemingly eager to project strength to their critics at home and abroad.
Jalali had traveled to Iran to attend a scientific workshop based on an
official invitation from an Iranian university. He has been refusing to eat
since December 26 to protest his arrest and the charges, and he seems to be in
poor mental and physical condition.
An appeal should have been filed within three weeks but it appears that it
never reached the Supreme Court. Since his conviction, 268,000 people have
signed petitions in his defense. Despite the pressure on scientific and
diplomatic level by Belgian, Swedish and Italian politicians, as well as by the
head of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini, Iran continues to violate the
rights of the professor, the university underlines.
Rights advocates have long accused Iranian courts of issuing politically
motivated sentences. Trial proceedings, often held behind closed doors, can
last only a few minutes, and charges and even verdicts are routinely left to
public speculation rather than informing defence teams or family of pending
charges.
Djalali told his sister that he had been forced to sign a confession, for which
he will receive the death penalty. The Iranian government is calling it a
matter of national security.
(source: neweurope.eu)
BANGLADESH:
Top terror Shahadat's intimidation halts 16 cases
He's been staying abroad for 12 years, carrying out criminal acts of extortion
and intimidating people back in the country over phone from abroad. He even
managed to halt the trial process of 16 cases against him by intimidating the
plaintiffs and witnesses of the cases from abroad.
This is none other than the top terror Shahadat Hossain. The fugitive criminal
was awarded with death penalty in 2 cases while arrest warrants were issued
against him in 13 cases. He has more than 200 general diaries (GDs) under his
belt.
Hiding in India for a long time, Shahadat is controlling the capital's criminal
activities and even giving interviews to the media, said police officials.
They added that the government has requested India to arrest Shahadat as
Bangladesh handed over a number of Indian criminals to its neighbour.
However, Shahadat's deportation is yet to be decided, they also said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Mia told Prothom
Alo that they are trying to bring Shahadat back through the Interpol.
If any family feels insecure or becomes victim of threat, the police will
provide security measures, he added.
Once vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Shah Ali thana unit,
Shahadat was a resident of Shinepukur Road in Mirpur's Shah Ali area.
The hardcore criminal used to be an activist of BCL Mirpur unit from 2001 to
2004. He came to talks in 1998 allegedly after killing a person in Gudaraghat
area in 1998. Through this, he entered the underworld and murdered one after
another as a professional killer. In 2005, he fled away in India after killing
Aftab Uddin, a businessman of Mirpur. Since then, he has been living there.
On 12 August 2005, a group of miscreants killed Md Shahidullah, 45, owner of
Prince Group near his residence in Mirpur. A case was filed then accusing
Shahadat as prime suspect. The investigation of the case is yet to be completed
even after 12 years.
Shahidullah's family members said Shahadat has been threatening them to
withdraw the case.
Kazi Belal Hossain, brother of Shahidullah, told Prothom Alo that the main
accused is yet to be arrested. The other accused who were arrested are now out
of jail on bail.
Another businessman of Mirpur, Aftabuddin, was killed by Shahadat in 2005. A
case was then lodged with the Mirpur police station in this regard. After an
investigation, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-4 submitted a case statement in
2007, accusing a total of 19 people including Shahadat.
Afrozuddin, brother of Aftabuddin and also plaintiff of the case, said that
Shahadat has been threatening to withdraw the case by his sidekicks.
In the face of frequent threats, he sought security measures from the deputy
commissioner of police (Mirpur zone) last week.
Moreover, the witnesses are also leaving the area, Afrozuddin alleged.
DMP deputy commissioner (Mirpur zone) Masud Ahmed told Prothom Alo that Mirpur
police were instructed to provide Afrozuddin's family security.
In the face of Shahadat's threats, Russell Hossain, son of slain businessman
Farhad Hossain, filed a total of 4 general diaries (GDs).
A group of extortionists shot Farhad to death on 14 April 2005. Police
submitted a charge sheet accusing Shahadat and his accomplices in the murder
case.
Russell told Prothom Alo that he received a death threat from Shahadat warning
him to give no testimony in court.
A group of terrorists shot another Mirpur businessman Ripon Chowdhury to death
on 18 June, 2006. Widow of Ripon told Prothom Alo that she has been receiving
death threats from Shahadat for carrying the case procedures. Being
intimidated, she no longer wants to take care of the case.
When contacted, Mirpur police station officer-in-charge Md Nazrul Islam told
Prothom Alo top terror Shahadat is now out of the country. "But, he
masterminded several killings. We don't see that much activities of his cohorts
now. The plaintiff of a case applied to us seeking his security and we've taken
necessary measures accordingly."
Allegations are rife that Shahadat threatened the plaintiffs and witnesses of 9
murder cases. Prominent among them are BNP leader and ward commissioner Shawkat
Ali murder case, satellite TV connection provider Shamsul Haque murder,
transport worker Parvez killing and Mirpur businessman Abdur Rahman killing.
When approached, Dhaka University law department professor and former chairman
of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission Mizanur Rahman said rights activists have
long been demanding for the safety and security of the plaintiffs and
witnesses.
"The state must ensure security for those who will testify in any case," he
added.
(soruce: prothom-alo.com)
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